Microaggression Essay

Summation of Racial Microaggressions in Everyday Life
I have read and fully understand the article Racial Microaggressions in Everyday Life: the Implications for Clinical Practice. However, I must admit the article does not sit well with me and I have learned I have been a microaggressor since my early days; specifically, I have offered microinsults many times over without even realizing it. Through the years, I have thought of myself as one who consciously believes in equal rights for “all”; not just the American people, but people of all races across the entire globe. Granted, I have never…show more content…

I consider myself one who holds morals and values at the forefront; and my friends, regardless of race, know this about me. If you were to ask my Venezuelan friend if I offended her, I can guarantee you she would say, “not at all”. However, I do not deny that if another white person would have made the same inquiry as to her cultural background, the results could have been significantly different in that she could have taken offense (although I don’t believe she would because she is one of the most open-minded person I know). The bottom line, though, is that I did not offend her because of who I am, what I stand for, and what I believe in. The article, then, really agitates me as it seems to stereotype all whites as microaggresors. As a matter of fact, I found it very difficult to actually tune-in and absorb the material.
I guess what I gathered most about the article is that microaggression is extremely detrimental to the counseling setting and occurs quite often. Although usually unintentional and unrealized, white therapists are often guilty of microagressions. When this occurs, therapy becomes ineffective and leads to non self-disclosure of the client, early termination of therapy, and failure of the client to return for future appointments. This is because the clients lose trust in their therapists and feel misunderstood and undervalued.

can be interpreted as small acts of verbal aggression. Racial micro aggression has caused many behavior and identity problems between races in today’s society. In the article, "Microagressions in everyday life", Dr. Derald Wing Sue states that “Microaggressions are similar to carbon monoxide - “invisible, but potentially lethal” - continuous exposure to these type of interactions “can be a sort of death by a thousand cuts to the victim” It is a common experience that many people of different racial…

Psychiatrist Chester Pierce, MD in the 1970’s first introduced the term microaggressions (Sue, 2010). While Dr. Pierce was the first to coin the term, he was not technically the first to start it. In fact, the idea of microaggressions was also introduced in the specific work of Jack Dovidio, PHD (Yale University) and Samuel Gaertner PHD (University of Delaware) when formulating aversive racism (Sue, 2010). Aversive Racism is defined as the following: “Many well-intentioned Whites consciously believe…

of counseling psychology at Colombia University. He has solidified the definition of microaggressions as “…brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral, or environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative racial slights and insults toward people of color” (Sue 271). Due to Sue’s work toward refining and reintroducing the term, “microaggressions” has spread to college campuses and intellectuals that have validated and have even applied…

with being a hate crime. Racial microaggressions are a type of perceived racism. They are more subtle and ambiguous than the more hostile or overt expressions of racism, such as racial discrimination (CITE). Microaggressions are everyday verbal, visual, or environmental hostilities, slights, insults, and invalidations or mistreatment that occurs due to an individual’s race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation etc. (CITE). The concept of racial microaggressions has been around since the 1970s, but…

Psychiatrist Chester Pierce, MD in the 1970’s was the first to create the term microaggressions (Sue, 2010). While Dr. Pierce was the first to coin the term, he was not technically the first to start it. In fact, the idea of microaggressions was also introduced in the specific work of Jack Dovidio, PHD (Yale University) and Samuel Gaertner PHD (University of Delaware) when formulating aversive racism (Sue, 2010). Aversive Racism is defined as the following: “Many well-intentioned Whites consciously…

Application of Microaggression theory to study caste-based discrimination:
“Every black child will recognize and defend promptly and adequately against every offensive micro-aggression. In this way, the toll that is registered after accumulation of such insults should be markedly reduced (Pierce, 1970, p. 280)”.
Since more than two-decade higher education institutions in the U.S. have recognized issues of diversity and discrimination. Studies on diversity and discrimination are mainly grounded…

Microaggressions are committed constantly, among numerous people without them realizing it. I must say I am completely guilty of also playing part in this act. These acts are done constantly and no one understands the affects it has on people. Miller and Garran (2008) states, “Racial microaggressions are similar to aversive racism. They are “subtle, stunning, often automatic,” verbal and nonverbal putdowns and social assaults that wound people of color unbeknownst to the perpetrator” (p.97). This…

they performed (Saunders, 2008). Thus, using these findings from the article, one can conclude that microaggressions affects a persons well being to a degree that can affect them perform certain tasks. As the researcher found, students not part of a learning environment faced the abuse of microaggressions, which ultimately turns the individual away from learning in general. Thus, microaggressions will effect integral parts of ones life and influence them to negatively perform on major and minor tasks…

implication of racial microaggressions in daily life. Three journal articles and a book chapter are explored in an effort to obtain a greater understanding of the effects of racial microaggressions experienced by people of color and to bring light to how often racial microaggressions are committed by White Americans without notice or accompanied by attempts to explain away the offenses. The sources used provide examples of obvious acts of discrimination as well as subtle microaggressions which are often…

The ideology of racial microaggressions has been around since the 1970s, you may not recognize any radicals, you think “I don’t hate black people, so I’m not racist”, still you benefit from discrimination. There are certain privileges and opportunities you have that you do not even realize since you have not been deprived in certain ways. Racial microaggressions are a category of perceived racism. They are more subtle and ambiguous than hostile or explicit languages of racism, such as racial discrimination…